Hidden in My Heart
by Dancing On Starlight's Melody
Summary: Silverpaw is your regular apprentice: she vows to protect her Clan with her life and become the best warrior, like every apprentice. But it turns out it's going to be harder than she ever imagined - especially with a tom who can only exchange no more than cold, polite greetings each day. And it kills Silverpaw to keep what she has to say hidden in her heart. One-shot.


**This is my first WillowClan challenge (for July 2013). Please R&R, and enjoy the story!**

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"Silverpaw!" A familiar voice called. "Brightfern wants you for patrol!" Silverpaw's eyes fluttered open, and her littermate and best friend Whitepaw was standing over her, Whitepaw's snowy white pelt smooth and shiny, and Silverpaw suddenly felt self-consious of her messy silver pelt, and Whitepaw purred. She whispered to Creekpaw, who had slightly stirred before awaking next to her. "She's as hard as a badger to wake when she's asleep."  
Silverpaw swiped playfully at her sister, who ducked and Silverpaw shook out the scraps of moss in her pelt before glancing down at her ruffled light gray pelt. Silverpaw gave her chest fur a few quick licks as a morning wash, and stepped into the scorching sunlight.  
The buttery haze of golden light that poured down nearly blinded her and she had to blink continously before her eyes got used to the harsh sun-high light.

"Hi, Silverpaw." Flamepaw looked up from sharing tongues with Rainpaw, who was pressed close next to him, tails twined and snuggling (mostly Rainpaw) as if they were already mates, even though it was sun-high and blazing hot in the clearing. Rainpaw barely paid any attention, and acknowledged Silverpaw with a nod of her head before licking Flamepaw's flank lovingly, and Flamepaw struggled to get up with Rainpaw clinging to him. "Hi, Whitepaw." Flamepaw's voice turned curt and distant, and Whitepaw glared at Silverpaw, then shot Flamepaw a look harder than stone and more blazing than the noon sun.  
"Hi, Flamepaw." Silverpaw answered with forced polite coldness, and Flamepaw looked down. Silverpaw padded through the clearing, where Brightfern, her mentor was sitting. She could hear Rainpaw's melodramatic voice across the clearing, and she rolled her eyes.  
"Rainpaw, I have to go for training, Aspenstorm is waiting for me." Flamepaw rose, and Rainpaw reluctantly let go. "Be safe, Flamepaw. You'll bring me something to eat later after I clean out the nursery? I might be going there soon." She asked deliberately in a loud voice, and Silverpaw imagined her eyes longing and pleading.  
Flamepaw shrugged her off and meowed. Silverpaw could almost detect a hint of frustration and annoyance in his voice, and prayed to StarClan that it was true. "I guess. See you later." Flamepaw left, and Rainpaw turned to her best friend, Petalpaw, and both of them giggled and Rainpaw sighed, satisfied, and the two of them padded away, talking in low voices as half of the Clan stared after.  
_Why are such a pain, Rainpaw? We're still apprentices, and you're thinking of moving to the nursery? Too bad Flamepaw loves you. _Silverpaw thought to herself as Flamepaw bounded over to Aspenstorm and the two of them disappeared through the thorn tunnel.

"Silverpaw, we're going hunting." Brightfern told her, and Silverpaw felt a pang of disappointment, but she followed her mentor into the forest and the blossoming scent of greenleaf welcomed her, and the shade was cool with the thick cover of trees and bramble thickets.

Silverpaw hated hunting. She much would have preferred fighting over hunting any day. She hated it partially because she was terrible at it, And Brightfern always tried not to show her disappointment at her apprentice. Her first catch was a scawny vole, and it was barely enough for a meal. The worst part was that it was newleaf during her first catch, and the prey was already quite plentiful.

As Silverpaw padded lightly through the familiar ThunderClan territory, the wild undergrowth dappled with white sunlight and the blistering warmth pooling around her. The air was dry, with the frosty tang of leaf-bare left behind them and the sweet, fresh greenleaf forest scents hung heavily in the air. The tantalizing, warm scent of fresh-kill wafted from the sun-high hunting patrol, and she breathed in deeply the scent. She stared dreamily into the trees, watching the certain lithe ginger figure that moved with grace and swift movements in the training clearing.

"Silverpaw!" Brightfern snapped. "That's the third time you've been staring into the trees." Her mentor was usually soft-spoken, but Silverpaw knew she had a fierce, hard side of her now. The white-and-ginger she-cat's neck fur was bristling slightly in annoyance, but Silverpaw could tell Brightfern was trying hard to press it down.

"Sorry." Silverpaw mumbled aplogtically, and tried to focus on hunting, and blocking everything else out. She spied a fat-looking mouse skittering through the knotty, thick roots of a nearby oak tree, and she dropped into a hunting crouch, slowly creeping up to it. As she tensed her muscles and began to leap, the mouse's ears pricked and it scrambled away furiously, and Silverpaw sat down, defeated. _Darn it! If I caught that mouse I might have been excused from a moon of dawn patrols! _Silverpaw silently cursed herself, and groaned inwardly as Brightfern emerged from the undergrowth, pushing the ferns back.

Brightfern looked at her, obvious disappointment in her eyes, and this time she didn't even try and hide it. Silverpaw dipped her head in shame, and when Brightfern finally spoke, her tone wasn't sympathic or kind, but it was sharp and impatient. "Look, Silverpaw, I know you aren't the best hunter, but I have the feeling you aren't even trying. The breeze was blowing your scent straight to the mouse, and you need to your paws down lightly." Brightfern shook her head in diasppointment. "I'll take you to the Gathering tonight, but I'm not sure if you deserve it. Go clear out the Elders den today, and get something to eat." Silverpaw hung her head in shame, but at the same time she was thinking. _If I don't derserve it, why are you taking me? _Silverpaw though angrily to herself, but she gritted her teeth. She would show Brightfern that she was going to be the best warrior ever!

As Silverpaw walked back to camp, cats were sharing tongues, having a sun-down meal, and apprentices whisked around, practicing battle moves in the sandy clearing. She headed straight for the medicine cat den; she was in no mood to collect moss by herself today.  
"Hi, Silverpaw!" Dawnbrook, the medicine cat greeted her warmly from the back of her den. "What can I do for you?" The medicine cat's cheery tone lifted Silverpaw's spirits a bit, and er good-mood was contagious towards everyone.

"Just some moss and maybe some bracken-I'm clearing out the Elders den today." Silverpaw anwered, as Dawnbrook whisked around the den, sorting out stacks of herbs, and she hurried to back of the den again, where a ginger figure was curled up.

"Sorry, but maybe Flamepaw can gather some with you. Oh, and get some more bracken as well." Dawnbrook meowed, and Silverpaw glanced at the nest where the weak tom who was still grimacing. "He got a wound during training. Snowpaw's claws were accidentally unsheathed." She explained. Silverpaw's heart pounded in her chest as Flamepaw stretched and winced slightly, but powerful muscles rippled underneath his thick shiny ginger pelt. Flamepaw got up and flicked a tail playfully at Silverpaw, who swiped in return.

"Dawnbrook, I got the marigold and Creekpaw helped me gather some more juniper for your collections. Is it enough?" It was the voice of her sister, Whitepaw; and as she spotted Flamepaw, she scowled, and turned away deliberately. Silverpaw bounded towards her sister and touched noses with her and Whitepaw purred, but then turned her attention back to Dawnbrook. "Is it enough?"

"Yes, thank Breezewing and Hazelcloud for me, please." Dawnbrook replied absentmindedly, stripping off dry, dead leaves off stalks of catmint with a swift flick of her paw.  
"And Silverpaw, Brightfern wants to talk to you." Whitepaw threw Flamepaw another scowl and Silverpaw followed her, looking aplogictally at Flamepaw, who shrugged and flicked his tail in annoyance.

As soon as they were out of earshot of the medicine cat den, Whitepaw hissed. "Why were you with that arrogant toad? You know I hate him!" As she was talking, her fluffy tail lashed angrily around side-to-side, bringing up clouds of dust.  
"He isn't arrogant." Silverpaw told her sister defensively, but she almost shocked herself to why she was jumping to Flamepaw's defense. "Besides, I was just getting moss from the medicine den. He just happened to be there." Silverpaw added, before Whitepaw could reply.

"You like him!" Whitepaw concluded, her voice tight and controlled as if she was forcing back all her anger. "I can't believe it. You like Flamepaw!" She stormed off, outraged, and and Silverpaw hung her head._ Great, I got two cats mad today. How much of a failure am I?_

As Silverpaw padded into the sandy clearing again, Flamepaw was there, sharing tongues with Rainpaw and Silverpaw didn't even look up, and headed into forest miserably. "Hold up, Silverpaw!" Flamepaw's voice called from behind her, but she ignored it, charging deeper into the forest.

"Silverpaw, stop!" Flamepaw's long limbs seemed to catch up easily and effortlessly to Silverpaw, but she still tried, after a while, it seemed like she couldn't lose him at all and slowed down.  
"What do you want?" Silverpaw snapped, and turned around to face him. "Haven't you got anything better to do than stalk me?" Flamepaw flinched visibly, and Silverpaw had a rush of emotions that seemed to make her feel bad for snapping at him, but she pushed it back.

"Look, Silverpaw, I know you hate me, and so does Whitepaw, but I really don't want to be enemies with you. I don't know why you hate me so much, or what I did to cause you hate me so much, but I know I'm willing to fix it. Silverpaw, whatever it is I did, I'm really, truly sorry, so please just-" Flamepaw began to plead desparately, and Silverpaw was so shocked by what he said. _He thought I hated him?_ Her mind was bursting with questions, but instead she moved closer, but hesitated, then pressed gently and firmly against his flank, not the way Rainpaw did with Flamepaw, but as friends. Breathing in his scent and feeling his muscles under his smooth pelt, Silverpaw felt at peace. Flamepaw went silent, and stayed still for half a heartbeat, and pressed closer towards Silverpaw.

"-forgive me." Flamepaw finished quietly, and Silverpaw simply flicked her tail against his flank, and Flamepaw purred.  
"I never hated you, Flamepaw." Silverpaw said quietly. _This is the chance, Silverpaw! Tell him!_ A voice urged in her head, and she met his calm gaze, waiting for an answer. _No, remember Whitepaw. Be loyal to your sister. _Another voice whispered. _He will understand when you are warriors.  
_"We were always friends." She answered finally, and she swallowed the lump of regret in her throat, but it took off the pressure burying onto her shoulders, and Flamepaw relaxed, a mischievous look crept slowly into his forest-green eyes, and Silverpaw backed away slowly.

She never got more than a mouse-length. A furry ginger figure's shadow came above her, and Flamepaw leapt with such speed and accuracy that she stumbled before he even landed, and he was right on top of her, growling playfully, as Silverpaw thrashed wildly. But Flamepaw kept her pinned down lightly in a death-grip as he dodged her kicks out a mrrow of amusement, Flamepaw let his guard down, his stomach exposed, watching Silverpaw intently. But Silverpaw could feel her legs getting sore and tired, and her kicks getting slower and weaker that she could barely reach his stomach.

Suddenly, one of her almost-gentle seeming kicks hit Flamepaw's stomach and he flopped to the soft forest floor with a exaggerated "Oof!" He shut his eyes and sighed peacefully, and Silverpaw panting and watching his ginger stomach fur rise and lower, and she, too shut her eyes, as a cool, gentle breeze seemed blew away her stress.

"Come on, Silverpaw!" Flamepaw's deep voice jarred her awake. She wasn't asleep, but she was simply resting, and she arched her back in a long stretch, and she suppressed a yawn, fighting the exhuastion that threatened to take her.

"Let's just stay awhile." Silverpaw answered, and she padded lightly over towards the clearing that led to the lake. Flamepaw dipped his head, and followed, his eyes twinkling, smiling at her.

The surface of the glassy aquamarine water was smooth like a mirror, as an occasional ripple broke the silence, and waves lapped gently against the shore rocks. Silverpaw settled down under a thick, old willow tree, and Flamepaw followed, sitting down next to her silently, watching the sky. Pale fluffy-looking rosy pink and snowy white clouds dotted the fiery red sky. The sun dipped into the water, as it glimmered with the brilliance of a thousand lights, dancing across the lake; shining as bright as Silverpelt. But when she saw Flamepaw's eyes, the light that glowed was much more than a thousand light, more than Silverpelt. The sky was now dark, and starry cats leapt and run with grace across the night sky, where the moon glowed; showering down silvery moonlight that streaked the asleep forest.

At that moment, she knew.

She knew she would want more than just friendship with Flamepaw later, but that would be saved for when they were warriors. For now, she was perfectly content at that very moment, when the stars sang towards her in a million harmonious voices, combined into one she loved, and her gaze slowly locked with his.

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**So, I hope you enjoyed it. :3 Thanks for reading. If there's anyway you believe that I can improve on in my writing, please tell me.**

**July's Writing Prompt:**

_You must have friendship, loyalty, and humor in your one-shot._

**I'm not very good at adding humor, but hopefully it showed a little at the end with my characters play-fighting and the beginning. The loyalty is Slverpaw to her sister by not being friends with Flamepaw, and the friendship I added was between Flamepaw and Silverpaw.**


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